Transforming the care of children in Sri Lanka

Dear Friends and Supporters,

After 7,486 days, 20 years, 5 months, and 12 days of relentless advocacy, sleepless nights, tearful moments, and unshakable belief, something extraordinary has happened.

At a landmark national press conference in Colombo this month, Sri Lanka’s Honourable Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasooriya, alongside other government ministers, publicly acknowledged what we at Their Future Today (TFT) have been saying for two decades:

“Every child should grow up in a family. A family is where children receive love, protection, and care… Institutions must be the last resort. We must focus on alternative care — kinship, foster, and family-based care.”

This powerful public recognition was accompanied by the announcement of a new government grant of Rs. 5,000 per month, aimed at helping children in orphanages transition into loving homes, not to keep them institutionalised, but to support their journey into family-based care.

It is, quite simply, a dream come true.

Adding to the emotion of this historic moment was the very proud news that Nimmu Kumari—herself a care leaver—has been promoted to TFT’s Alternative Family and Foster Care Manager.

Nimmu’s journey is nothing short of inspirational. Having grown up in the institutional system, she has experienced firsthand the challenges, stigma, and heartbreak that so many children in care face. Too often, care leavers are judged before they are seen or heard, labelled as ‘troublemakers’ instead of recognised for their resilience and untapped potential.

Now, Nimmu is leading the very change she once needed, ensuring that the next generation of children has the opportunity to grow up in families, not institutions

Nimmu’s achievements don’t stop there. This month, she was honoured with a personal meeting with Her Excellency Saroja Sevithri Paulraj, Minister of Women and Child Affairs, where she presented TFT’s Alternative Family and Foster Care FAQs Handbook.

The Minister expressed her gratitude for the resource and her genuine interest in learning more about this critically important and often misunderstood subject. It’s a significant step forward, not just in government engagement, but in giving care-experienced professionals like Nimmu the recognition and voice they deserve.

In another incredible highlight, TFT was recognised during South Asian Heritage Month at a celebration held at Speaker’s House, UK Parliament. We’re grateful to Zaynad Zabair and the SAHM Committee for placing Sri Lanka firmly on the map as an individual nation to be recognised. After decades of effort, it felt like a deeply moving moment of inclusion, visibility, and respect.

At TFT, we believe in the fundamental building blocks of love, food, education, and encouragement. These are the ingredients for “normal”, a word so often out of reach for children growing up in institutions.

Representation matters. Children need to see what they can become. When they meet people like Nimmu, care leavers who are thriving, leading, and giving back, it gives them permission to dream. It shows them what’s possible.

This journey has never been walked alone. Our deepest thanks go to our specialist partners, Dr Vasundhra from the Centre of Excellence for Alternative Care in India, and Professor Myrna McNitt of the International Foster Care Organisation (USA). Their unwavering support, training, and guidance have been instrumental in helping us shape policy, build capacity, and advocate effectively.

After decades of pushing against the tide, we are finally seeing a government ready to listen and act. The launch of the Rs. 5,000 grant and the Prime Minister’s public statement signal a new era, one with leadership that values intelligence, compassion, and progress.

The goal now is to build sustainable, community-based alternatives to institutions. This will require funding, partnerships, and education, but above all, it will require belief. We’re seeing that belief take root in Sri Lanka.

While we celebrate these historic breakthroughs, we know this is just the beginning. The hard work continues, but for the first time, we do so with real hope, solid backing, and visible momentum.

We will continue expanding our House of Dreams programme, supporting reintegration, training care leavers, and promoting family-based care models across the country.

Whether you’ve donated, partnered, volunteered, or simply believed in our mission, we want you to know: you helped make this happen.

You gave children a voice. You helped rewrite a harmful system. And now, you are helping give children something they’ve waited a lifetime for, a family.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being part of this story. This isn't the end of our journey; it’s just the beginning of a new chapter, where every child in Sri Lanka can finally hope for love, safety, and a home.

With love and gratitude,
Lynn, Joel & the TFT Team